A Pictorial Essay of Kansas City
I'm a little worried. I just realized most of my back-to-school clothes have ruffles. This is disturbing. I hope the next step isn't writing sonnets and playing a lute.
Good weekend, everyone? I had inservice on Saturday (teacher informational meetings of matters so critically important, it couldn't wait 'til Monday) and survived it. But just barely. For most of it, we were in our arts center, which has comfy theater seating, and as if they'd never taught children, they dimmed the lights. Cardinal rule when speaking to people who are not giggly excited to be in your presence (basically for anyone who is not a rock star)–never turn the lights off. Sometimes I show video clips in my classroom, and my kids will say, “Turn the lights off! We can't see!” Just squint. It will be fine. Anyway, it was so hard to stay awake. Especially when the last 2 hours were just a pep talk. I don't know that anyone gets more pep talks and has to listen to more inspirational crap than a teacher. Given our paychecks, we're already here for altruistic reasons, so do they really think some quote involving the words: journey, dreams, and wings is really gonna give us warm, tingly feelings? The answer is no.When one gentleman got out a guitar and began to sing about our profession, I thought I was gonna…buy him a ruffly shirt.
I had one last jaunt out of town before school started. For my mom's birthday we surprised her with tickets to see her favorite duo Brooks and Dunn, who are divorcing and on their last tour. So my aunt, mother, and sister in law (see picture above) went to Kansas City for some boot scootin' fun. Except we didn't wear boots. Exhibit A:
See that water bottle? After you buy them at the concession stand, they take your lid.
“Why?” my aunt asked.
“So you won't throw them at the stage,” I said.
“We can't throw bottle caps?” Mom asks. “Bra time!”
Here are my mom and aunt. Aren't they pretty?
Bring on Brooks! Bring on Dunn! We're not afraid to throw undergarments!
Opening for the opening act was a newcomer named Tyler Dickinson. We decided he's probably supposed to be the male equivalent of Taylor Swift.
He sang “I'm Just Like Hank.” Pretty sure you're not, but good luck to you all the same.
Gary Allan opened for B and D, and I decided this guy just needs a hug. He's a little intense.
I think if you got close enough, you'd probably hear growley noises from him. He started out in a suit which included a jacket and leather pants. Leather+sweat+stage lights cannot be a good combination. Bless him for his sacrifice in the name of art and chafing.
As he sang, he gradually ditched articles of clothing.
Forget the jacket!
Then forget the jacket, tie, and the last 4 buttons on my shirt!
We thought he was gonna shuck off the leather pants. We had to hold my mom and aunt back from rushing the stage. Those ladies.
I sat behind Bob Pinciotti from That 70s Show.
The next day we went shopping in Kansas City. What a great town. I don't know why we don't hang out there more often. We went to the Plaza Something or Another Shopping Area. Awesome place. I went straight for a little piece of heaven on earth.
Isn't that the perfect place for a Restoration Hardware? What a great building. The RH catalogs say they are going through a transition and working on their brand and direction. They are on a “journey.” So far I'm not impressed. Stuff is dark and dreary and monochromatic. And weird. I mean, like this chair.
Who sits here? Gay Batman?
We went to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. We don't have one of these restaurants in Arkansas, so we usually stop at one when we can. I used to hate cheesecake, but over the last decade I've grown to love it. Why that same phenomenon couldn't have happened to vegetables, I have no idea. Outside the Cheesecake Factory there is a fountain.
Let's zoom in on that. The guy has no arms, but he doesn't seem to care.
Check out my man boobs. I know I am.
We are four women who are easily entertained (see picture above). We also live in Wal-Mart country, and there is not a Costco within spitting distance. The nearest one is four hours away. We have been hearing of this Costco place for years. It's a sad fact that “Go to Costco” resides on my bucket list. (Right under hold my breath underwater for more than 10 seconds). High goals. Anyway, my mom wanted to go “if we had time.” And we were all like, “Shoot yeah! We'll make time! We'll spend the night if we have to!” So unlike our own Sam's Club, Costco doesn't sell/give out day passes. So…it's a very long story how we got in and purchased items, but yeah for Costco for such great customer service and letting us come on in with our wide eyes and debit cards.
Costco had all sorts of neato things I didn't even know I needed. Like this.
A giant skull! Gimme three! I'll put it with the 400 lb bag of dog food and the 20 pack of 5 inch binders!
I hope you had a great weekend! I know some of you are getting ready for school, buying school supplies, and stressing over your class schedules. Then there's the “get my kids outta my house” stress. Or the “School is in Session Traffic” stress. Oh, school. You cotton headed ninny muggins.
Where is your weekend getaway place? Folks around here head to KC, Tulsa, or the big one…Branson, Mo. What about you?
See you Wednesday!
